


Come Back, Old Yeller, Come Back

by naasad



Series: Boy's Best Friend [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Angst, Gen, Grumpy Murder Baby, Happy Ending, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 16:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13528458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naasad/pseuds/naasad
Summary: Damian messes up on patrol and awaits his punishment.





	Come Back, Old Yeller, Come Back

The ride back to the penthouse was silent. Damian bore it, he was used to the anger of adults. If it came to it, he knew he could defend himself.

They changed and walked upstairs and Grayson collapsed on the sofa. "Titus," he called, and Damian focused all his attention on the two of them.

Grayson's arms went around the dog's neck, and Damian steeled himself. Of course, there would be a punishment. He had nearly killed, nearly broken the only rule that mattered. He would face it. It wasn't the first time.

But Grayson did nothing, just sat there with his arms around the creature's neck, staring at the wall.

"Well?" Damian finally snapped.

That seemed to snap Grayson out of his stupor, and he blinked tiredly in the boy's direction. "What?"

Damian glanced meaningfully at the dog and squared his shoulders.

"Oh, sorry," Grayson said, removing his arms. "Got lost in thought. Titus, go see Dami," he ordered, with a swat on the animal's rump.

Damian tensed. He'd never been allowed good-byes before. He didn't know what to do. Swallowing, he lowered himself to the ground and wrapped his arms around him - it. He kept his composure for all of a minute before breaking down and whispering sobs in his mother tongue into his ear. **"Good boy, Titus, such a good boy."** This was cruel, to exploit his connection with him at the end. **"My good boy, Titus,"** he sobbed. **"I love you so, so much, Titus. Such a good boy. My good boy."**

Titus whined, and Grayson moved closer. "Dami?"

 **"Please!"** Damian shouted, tears moving freely down his face now. **"Please don't kill him! Please! I'll be good! I'll be so good! Please!"**

Grayson took several steps toward him, and Damian tightened his arms around Titus' shoulders.

**"Please! One more chance, please! I'll be good!"**

"Damian." Grayson's hands fell on his shoulders, and Damian flinched away. Dick held up his palms, then lowered them to his sides. "Damian, breathe."

Damian realized belatedly he was hyperventilating. He tried to get himself under control, only to fail and bury his face in Titus' fur. **"Please! Please!"**

"It's okay, Dami." Grayson sat on the floor cross-legged, too close, much too close, close enough to follow through. "My Arabic's a lot rusty, though, I don't understand you. Do you think you can English right now?"

Damian sobbed and shook his head. Couldn't even beg for his pet's life properly. Such a disgrace.

"Okay. That's okay. There's no rush. I can wait."

Damian thought he would happily never speak a word of English again if it kept Titus alive.

Grayson reached for the dog's flank.

 **"No!"** Damian yelled, trying to pull Titus away. **"Please! No! I promise I can be good! Please!"**

There was shocked silence, then Grayson finally lowered his hand. "Damian, you know I'd never hurt Titus, right?"

False. Damian tried to move, tried to stand and run away, take Titus with him, but all he managed was to rock back and forth.

"I swear, Dami - I swear on my parents' memory - I will never intentionally hurt your dog, and I'll never ever hurt him to punish you, okay? He hasn't done anything wrong, right?"

Damian nodded emphatically. Nothing. Titus never did anything wrong. "Good boy," he managed to choke out.

"Yes, he is," Dick agreed. "He doesn't deserve to be hurt, not by anyone."

Damian nodded, closing his eyes as he tried once more to get himself under control.

"He doesn't deserve to be hurt because of something someone else did."

Damian shook his head, knowing what would come next. He tightened his grip. Maybe Titus would know he was loved if he put up a fight when he was ripped away, when he was burying him later. Because he didn't deserve it, he didn't! But life was - "Not fair."

"No," Grayson said. "No, it's not fair to him at all. That's why it's not going to ever happen. I promise."

Damian sobbed and closed his eyes, tensed even as Titus licked his face. He waited, waited, waited....

"I promise you."

Damian went limp, sobbing still, but now in relief. Titus whined and barked, and then Dick pulled the boy into his lap and cradled him. Damian found he didn't mind this once.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Native Language, Mother's Tongue](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14963513) by [piades](https://archiveofourown.org/users/piades/pseuds/piades)




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